Joe Anoa'i

Joe Anoa’i (born May 25, 1985, in Pensacola, Florida) is an American screen and ring performer best known worldwide as Roman Reigns, also credited as Leati Anoa’i and Leakee. A member of the famed Anoa’i wrestling family, he has become one of WWE’s defining modern-era stars on the SmackDown brand.

Before his rise in sports entertainment, Anoa’i pursued football, playing college ball at Georgia Tech and later spending time with NFL organizations including the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars. He went on to play a full season in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos before stepping away from the sport and committing fully to wrestling.

Signed by WWE in 2010, he broke out on the main roster in 2012 as part of The Shield alongside Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, later transitioning into a long-running singles run. His career includes headline-making championship reigns—most notably a historic WWE Universal Championship run that ranks among the longest world-title reigns in company history.

On screen, Anoa’i’s Roman Reigns persona anchors major WWE specials and premium live events, with notable appearances in WWE Extreme Rules 2021, WWE Crown Jewel 2021, WWE Survivor Series 2021, WWE Elimination Chamber 2023, WrestleMania 39 Sunday, and The Bloodline: The Complete Story.